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Check if your vehicles’ comply with GM’s Clean Air Zone

Greater Manchester has launched an online compliance and financial support checker for businesses ahead of the introduction of its Clean Air Zone in May 2022, which covers vans and HGVs.


Greater Manchester has launched an online compliance and financial support checker for businesses ahead of the introduction of its Clean Air Zone in May 2022, which covers vans and HGVs.

From 30 May, several types of vehicles will be charged a daily penalty for using local roads across the city region as part of a plan to tackle air pollution.

The Clean Air Zone will operate seven days a week, 24 hours a day, every day of the year and will be enforced by a network of number plate recognition cameras.

Vehicles that fail to comply with up-to-date air quality standards will be charged as follows:

  • Heavy goods vehicles (HGVs): £60 per day from 30 May 2022
  • Light goods vehicles (LGVs), including vans: £10 per day from 1 June 2023.

Other affected vehicles include buses, coaches, minibuses, taxis and private hire vehicles. Private passenger cars are not affected.

Businesses are being urged to prepare now by visiting an online compliance checker to find out whether their vehicles meet the required standards. The tool will also inform users whether they are eligible to apply for financial support to retrofit any non-compliant vehicles or replace them with a cleaner model.

Greater Manchester has secured over £120 million from central government to support small organisations and individuals with the oldest and most polluting vehicles.

Starting on 30 November, around £8 million will initially be made available through a Clean Commercial Vehicle Fund for eligible HGV owners. Up to £12,000 will be available for replacement HGVs, or up to £16,000 for retrofitting.

This financial support will be extended to LGVs at the end of January 2022, with up to £4,500 available for replacement vans. A total of £87.9 million will be available to businesses overall.

The first round of funding will focus on supporting smaller businesses, sole traders and the voluntary sector.

Cllr Andrew Western, Greater Manchester Lead for Clean Air, said:

The Clean Air Zone will be crucial in our wider plan to reduce vehicle emissions and clean up Greater Manchesters air. Were working hard to ensure we support as many affected vehicle owners as possible move to cleaner vehicles so they dont have to pay a daily charge.

The financial support scheme opens to HGVs in November, pending approval, and Id encourage anyone who thinks they could be affected to apply early. Between now and then, vehicle owners can find out more at cleanairgm.com, where they can sign up for regular updates.”

 Later this month, a dedicated advice website for businesses will also be launched by GC Business Growth Hub. It will detail options for upgrading and retrofitting vehicles as well as advice to absorb the penalty charge by finding wider efficiency savings.

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